Pedal device for locomotive fire-doors.



P. W. MARTIN. PEDAL DEVICE FOR LOCOMOTIVE FIRE DOORS.

APPLIOATION I'ILED JULY 30, 1913.

I Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

l VEN WITN ESSES UNITED STATES P TENT oEEIoE.

FREDERICK W. MARTIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGN OR TO ALBERT G. ELVIN, OE

' SOMERVILLEQ NEW JERSEY.

PEDAL DEVICE FOR LQCOMOTIVE FIRE-DOORS.

Specification; of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 6, 1914.

Application filed July 30,1913. Serial No. 781,942.

Y in the borough. of Manhattan, in the city,

county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pedal Devices for Locomotive F ire- Do-ors, of which improvement the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to mechanism adapted to be operated by the foot of the fireman, for opening the controlling valve-of a fluid pressure apparatus employed for opening and closing the fire-door of the boiler furnace, the principal object being to provide an improved pedal device of this character, in which the lever and connections are located below the deck, while the ,tread is mounted to move vertically through an opening in the deck, at a point to be conveniently engaged by the foot of the fireman.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a .view, partly in longitudinal section, through the firing deck of a locomotive, and showing the firedoor and its fluid pressure operating apparatus in elevation, with my improvement applied thereto; Fig.2, a similar sectional view, showing my improved pedal device, on a larger scale; Fig. 3, a plan of the same, a part of the deck being broken away to show the counterbalance; and Fig. 4, a transverse section of the same.

According to the construction shown, my

improvement is exemplified in connection with a fluid pressure operated apparatus for the fire-doors of locomotives, which is 111115- trated in Fig. 1 as comprising a cylinder, 1,

containing apiston for actuating the firedoor, 2, and a small valve, 3, for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to, and its exhaust from, the cylinder. The rod, 4, for actuating the controlling valve extends down through the deck, 5, and is engaged by one end of the pedal lever, 6, which is pivoted at an intermediate point upon a bracket, 7, bolted to the under side of the deck, while the other end of the lever is provided'with an upward extension engaging the bottom of the foot plate or tread, 8. The foot plate orv tread is preferably of rectangular box form, and is mounted in a casing, 9, formed of a casting inserted in the deck, 5, the tread being inserted from below into the opening through the casing, and provided with lugs, not shown, for limiting the upward movement of the tread to a point sufliciently above the upper surface of the casing to allow the necessary movement to operate the valve. The casing may be cut away or recessed along the under part of its inner edge in order that any coal working through the narrow opening between the edges of the casing and the tread. may freely fall away and not interfere with the movement of the tread. The tread is pivotally mounted at both ends upon the balancing arms, 10, which are fulcrumed in brackets, 11, on the under side of the deck, 5, and carry the counterweight, 12. This weight counterbalances the tread so as to hold the same upon its normal position, and the weight of the valve rod and the pressure on the valve acting on the lever, 6, holds the upwardly projecting outer end thereof in contact with the under side of the foot plate or tread, 8, as shown in the drawing. By means of connecting the tread to the balancing arms at both ends, any tipping or binding of the tread is prevented, and the same will move down evenly to the deck level when stepped on at any point, thus turning the pedal lever and opening the control valve to admit fluid to the. door operating apparatus.

"It will now be seen that I have provided a simple, compact, and durable construction,

in which all of the connecting parts are located beneath the deck of the locomotive where they will be out of the way, leaving the space over the deck in front of the fire door free from parts over which the fireman would be liable to stumble in moving about the cab, especially at night. The tread is also of'substantial size, and located at the point in the deck where the fireman usually steps in the act of delivering fuel through the fire door. As the tread operates perfectly when stepped on at any point, the fireman is given a wider latitude of movement, and will have no difiiculty in locating the same with his foot at any time desired.

.As my improvement may be employed with any suitable or preferred form of fluid pressure apparatus for operating the fire door, I have not described such apparatus in detail.

Having now described my invention, what for actuating said lever,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination With a controlling valve of a fire door apparatus for locomd tives, of a pedal lever located beneath the deck for operating said valve, a tread extending up through an opening in the deck and counter- Weighted balancing arms for said tread pivoted beneath the deck.

2. The combination of a tread extending up through an opening in the locomotive deck, balancing arms pivoted upon a fulcrum beneath the deck and engaging both ends of said tread, a counterweight carried by said arms, and a pedal lever pivoted beneath the deck and actuated by said tread.

3. The combination of a casing inserted in the locomotive deck, a tread of box form mounted for vertical movement in said casing, balancing arms pivoted upon a fulcrum beneath the said deck and engaging both ends of said tread, and a pedal lever pivoted beneath the deck-and engaging said tread.

4. The combination of a pedal lever pivoted beneath the deck of the locomotive, a valve rod extending through the deck and engaging one end of said lever, a tread extending up through an opening in the deck, and balancing means engaging both ends of the tread for maintaining a level position of the same, said pedal lever having a projection engaging the bottom of said tread.

5. The combination of a pedal lever pivoted beneath the locomotive deck, a tread of box form extending up through an opening in the deck, balancing arms pivoted beneath the deck and engaging both ends of said tread, acounterweight carried by' said arms, said lever having a projecting end engaging the bottom of said tread, and a valve rod actuated by said lever.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FREDERICK W. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

Jomv L. MOHUN, A. I. DENNELLEY. 

